Those of us who live in Canberra, already know that the region is brimming with creative minds and the annual DESIGN Canberra Festival celebrates and promotes Canberra as a global city of design.
Running over four weekends, 27 Oct – 25 Nov, the festival offers a little something for everyone and best of all most of its content is free.
The Design Canberra program includes events and exhibitions at art centres, museums, galleries, universities, design centres, studios and workshops covering landscape design, architecture, industrial design, graphic design, fashion, jewellery, homewares and more.
Here is some of our top festival picks:
Living Rooms
Get inside some of Canberra’s most architecturally beautiful and significant homes each Sunday afternoon throughout the festival. Each afternoon four houses will be open, representing the best in heritage renovations, modernist and contemporary style and ecological sustainability. Each home will feature a pop-up exhibition by a local craft and design artist.
Australian Institute of Architects Bus Tours
Landmark buildings, houses by emerging architects, foreign architects and even a trip to Willinga Park on the NSW South Coast are among the afternoon bus tours being offered by the ACT Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects on weekends during the festival.
Open Spaces
2016 International Festival of Landscape Architecture: Not in My Backyard
IFLA: Not In My Backyard is a special event for Canberra from 27-30 October connecting the public with landscape architects. With over thirty events developed by the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) and Festival Creative Director, Richard Weller (USA), the four-day program will include a Conference, National Landscape Architecture Awards, Festival Party and a host of public and industry tours, exhibitions, city activations, screenings and talks.
Graffiti Tour
Join renowned local graphic artist Byrd on a Tour of legal graffiti sites around Belconnen in the afternoon, then head to a Paste Up Showdown, an interactive evening of live art and paste ups at La De Da. Canberra street artists will be guiding the evening, performing live art and directing the production of a large temporary wall. Members of the audience are encouraged to produce their own paste up on the night. The following day, visit the Impact Comics Festival, a showcase of comic book inspired creativity in all forms. Discover zines, comics, graphic novels, artworks, jewellery, clothing, music and more, all featuring or inspired by comic books. Sat 19 & Sun 20 Nov
Markets
From 18 – 20 November the Undercurrent Design Markets will be in full swing at the National Portrait Gallery, an array of original, fresh and contemporary design across all mediums and work practices – from ceramics to jewellery, textiles to design co-ops.
Exhibitions
Robert Foster – image supplied by Design Canberra
Luminary: Remembering Robert Foster | ActewAGL foyer
A tribute to Canberra design legend Robert Foster of Fink & Co.
Studio CBR: In the Making | Canberra Region Visitors Centre
Stunning photographic portraits by Adam McGrath of Canberra designers in their studios.
Tangerine Gold | Vibe Hotel Canberra Airport
Monumental glass sculptures by Elizabeth Kelly in situ at Vibe Hotel
Keynote talk – Walter Burley Griffin’s in the Lobby at Vibe Hotel
Vibe Hotel this year won Australian Institute of Architecture awards for Interior and Commercial Architecture and Light in Architecture. Its design resounds with the circular motifs of Walter and Marion Griffin’s original design for Canberra’s city plan. Architect Philip Vivian of Bates Smart Architecture will give a special insight into the design in this keynote address.
Fri 28 Oct, 6.30 – 8pm
What you need to know
DESIGN Canberra is the major outreach activity for Craft ACT: Craft + Design Centre.
For a event details & tickets visit http://designcanberrafestival.com.au
